Why Getting Involved Is Key!

Philip Davanzo III

Jordan High School Durham, NC

When I first took over the wrestling program at Jordan High School, I wrote down eight goals. Every single goal, with the exception of one, had to do with winning. That exception was to do a community service project each year. After evaluating the first season, I realized that there are far more important things than winning. I met a few of the goals that I set (some were long-term goals, which would take several years to obtain), but one goal I failed to meet was the community service project. I had to do some soul searching, because that, to me, was the most important goal on the list. I sat down at the end of season with my mentor (which I really recommend everyone have) who runs a very successful business, and we talk about everything from managing people to problem solving. He really opened my eyes. I attacked my second year with a new approach. I implemented a lot of new ideas and was able to get back on track. I was not going to fail in achieving my goal of doing community service.

Below are my revamped program goals:

1. Everyone graduates

2. No one fail a class

3. Everyone wrestle at least two matches each season

4. Lose no more than four wrestlers from the beginning of each season

5. Place in the top four in PAC VI each season

6. Have a state qualifier each season

7. Work closely with our middle school program to ensure that all those wrestlers join the high school team.

8. Build the alumni support to where guys are coming back each year to help out

9. Do a community service project each season

10. Win at least ten duals each season

We went from having most goals deal with winning, to just one goal that dealt with winning. Most of our goals now involve building relationships and making connections. There has been one goal that remained; you guessed it, community service!

In Durham, there is strong lack of positive role models. Our role models are often the athletes that continue to get into legal trouble or that talk about sex and drugs. We as high school coaches are one of the last chances to shape some of these individuals before they step into the real world.

Here's an excerpt from an article written in December by Guy Loranger in the local newspaper, the Durham Herald Sun:

"The lessons his wrestlers learned from their visit to the home, which shelters families of seriously ill or injured children as they receive treatment at area hospitals, will be just as important as anything they learn in the wrestling room this season", Davanzo said. "There's so many negative role models, glorifying gangs or drugs or violence, and I wanted my guys to see that there's better things out there that you can be. So, I've been trying to find ways to get our kids involved in the community. It's extremely tough for kids to understand it, and it may take kids a couple of years to realize what we're trying to do with [Jordan wrestling], but we don't want to be just champions in the wrestling room, but in the classroom and everywhere else. Winning is good, but the measure of the man is determined by what he does with himself. I think the question has to be, 'Did you give back? Last Friday, the Falcons' Andrew McKinney, Bryson Roberts, William Page, Brian Reynolds, Bennett Pike and Harrison Flood gave the Ronald McDonald House a $150 donation - a sacrifice considering that the team is also raising money to renovate its wrestling room. The wrestlers also gave the home a framed Jordan singlet and posters. Most of all, they gave a couple of hours of their time by hanging out with the home's youngest residents, talking and playing video games. I think some of them saw that they might be struggling through a hard day or a hard practice, but that kid you're playing video games with, and their families, they're dealing with something like leukemia. I hope it opened their eyes."

In addition to the Ronald McDonald House visit (which we revisited in the spring to do yard work and clean up the inside of the house), we began a reading program at a local elementary school once a week. Instead of our mandatory daily study hall, we would travel to the school, read to kindergarteners for 45 minutes and then return for practice.

Here's what it boils down to - we must, as coaches, teach these individuals that there is more to life than winning. I know what you are thinking; this guy must not win or it's easy to say when you are not winning. I can't even tell you how many career coaching wins or losses I have. It's all irrelevant in the grand scheme of life. We need to teach our kids the value of giving back to the community, the value of knowing there is always something larger than we are, that when we think we have it rough there's always someone that is worse off than we are, that no matter how wealthy or 'big' you become, you are no better than anyone else.

We, as coaches and educators, are responsible for helping our kids become well-rounded individuals. If you think about it, who spends the most time with the student? Coaches do! Who do the students come to if they have a problem? They come to us, the coach! It's our responsibility to help them become solid students, citizens and then athletes.

We will continue our reading program this coming season. We will also attempt a fundraising project. It will be "Takedown ______" (cancer, juvenile diabetes, AIDS, etc). Our captains will select the cause they want to sponsor. We will then solicit pledges from businesses and individuals for every takedown we earn during the month of December. We will then collect the pledges and make a donation to the cause we have selected. Another project that we are going to look to take on is rebuilding a playground. We will need to partner with a foundation or corporation to help with the cost. They will supply the material, and we will supply the manpower.

Here is a list of other possible community service projects:

- Soup kitchen

- Clothing drive

- Canned food drive

- Fund raisers